Elements of Indian Art & Architecture - Paperback

by R. Nath (Author)

This work ventures to study Indian Art and Architecture with reference to, and in the context of, its theory which, though available to us in Sanskrit texts, is not generally studied and it is essentially a study of the Theory of SILPA (Indian Plastic Arts) from the Ancient to Medieval times. The first Chapter studies 'Mithuna' in the temple forum. Overwhelming textual prescriptions affirm that Devangana Mithuna sculptures both in Dance and Kama (Erotic) postures are incarnation of Srngara. Roct Cut Temple Architecture has been studied in the next chapter. A Saila Guha (Cave) is excavated into the living rock while a saila mandira is carved out of the Rock; independent and structural, it has all the four facades and a grand superstructure open to sky. another chapter is devoted to the study of sculptural aestheticism. Iconography prescribed the figure and its broad outlines, and sometimes the posture too with weapons and ornaments but it did not prescribe the depth of the sculpture in the third dimension, and the sculptor was free to bring out an expression.The chapter on Lahara Vallari is study of a formal ornament in Indian Art. It has no floral element and it rises and falls like wave and moves forth with exquisite grace like a sinuous scroll. The Chapter on the Inter relationship of the Performing and the Plastic Arts is devoted to the study of non iconographic devangana sculptures. The last chapter deals with lotus fountain of the Rang Mahal Red Fort DELHI of Shah Jehan 1628-58 A.D, which is unique creation of Indian Sculptor during the Medieval Period. Its petals appear to rise and fall when water ripples on their edges like a magical charisma.